The Petal Trail
by MissJEDoe
Summary: Cornflower finds herself in a strange place and needs to find out what's going on. Basically a bit of fluff, but a series of short stories for each character I think of.
1. Chapter 1

Cornflower yawned and woke up, stretching the sleepiness away from her body. Opening her eyes, she looked up at the…

Sky?

Trying to work out how she'd managed to fall asleep inside and wake up outside, she sat up and felt the ground around her.

Definitely outside.

She raised a paw to scratch her head as she tried to break through the fog surrounding her memories and realised that her movements were a lot… smoother than she remembered. Her bones ached less – not at all now that she pushed herself to her feet and straightened her…

Fur?

She was completely naked, head to toe to tail-tip. Feeling fairly self-conscious, she checked no one was nearby.

All clear. Just her and the sky and the grass and the trees.

Trees.

She realised with a gasp that brought her paws to her mouth and a tear to her eye. This wasn't Mossflower or anywhere she'd seen before. But she'd heard about it.

She sat back down, feeling incredibly weak despite her youthful body. The tear was running down her cheek when a gentle voice from behind her made her jump.

"Hello?"

Cornflower looked around and saw a mousemaid younger than she, with long head fur which was tying itself in knots and soft hazel eyes.

"Hello." Noticing that this other mouse was wearing a long lilac dress Cornflower once again became self-conscious and remained sitting, ignoring the paw that was offered to her.

"It's okay. We'll find you some clothes when we reach Noonvale. What's your name?" The mousemaid asked with a pretty smile. A beam of jealousy fluttered through her. This mouse was so confident and… clothed.

"Noonvale?" Cornflower had the feeling she'd heard that name before – perhaps in a story told to her years ago when she was a babe.

"Well, it's not actually Noonvale." The pretty maid said, smiling and holding her paws together. "But we made it look like it."

Cornflower nodded. She could understand wanting somewhere familiar to have in this unfamiliar place.

"My name's Cornflower." She said finally, finding the courage to stand up and bare herself to the stranger. "Your name?"

"Laterose." She said, smiling. And, Cornflower appreciated, only looking at her eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Laterose." Cornflower smiled and stood next to the mouse. "I suppose we should go to this Noonvale."

Laterose smiled and started walking, leading Cornflower through the trees towards – Cornflower hoped – some sort of clothing.


	2. Chapter 2

The two mice were making steady progress through the seemingly never ending forest, walking beside each other. Cornflower kept stumbling, too busy looking all around her to watch where her footpaws were treading. But Laterose was patient and would always wait, offering a paw each time Cornflower found herself on the floor.

"Where are you from?" Laterose asked after an unusually long period of constant walking.

"Mossflower. I never left it until now." Realising with a lump in her throat that she would never see Redwall again, nor St Ninian's. She lifted a paw to wipe at her cheeks.

"Ah," Laterose said thoughtfully. Cornflower sneaked a look and saw an understanding she hadn't expected.

"Were you from Mossflower too?"

"Not I, no, no." Laterose laughed and smiled over at Cornflower. "But I've heard great tales of the woodlands there. And of Redwall. Oh, steady!"

Laterose caught Cornflower before she hit the floor, helping to steady her on her feet once more. Cornflower was blinking back the surprise from her eyes when she returned the smile.

"You know Redwall?"

"Of course. Why, I know the very mice who founded it!"

"Are… are they here too?"

"Yes, and many of them live in Noonvale with my family and I. Come on, we're nearly there!" Laterose picked up speed as the ground slipped away below their feet, suddenly becoming steep. Struggling to keep up with her guide, Cornflower found herself on the floor and again until she gave up trying to stay on her feet. Laughing joyously, she allowed herself to slide and scramble down the valley side.

They broke through the trees and stumbled to a halt outside a building which extended away from them for yards and yards. Laughing breathlessly after their tumble down the hill, the two mice walked towards a small cottage where a mouse who looked much like Laterose was fixing a tear in an apron. She stood up as they approached, putting her needlework down on the narrow wooden bench.

"Hello there! I hope she didn't leave you wandering around the forest on your own."

"She was there almost immediately." Cornflower said graciously, smiling meekly at the new mouse.

"Just as well – we're having a feast tonight and it would be a shame if she wasn't here on time to help me bake the strawberry scones!"

"Oh, mother." Laterose sighed, touching her forehead with her paw momentarily. "More importantly, can we get Cornflower some clothes?"

Laterose's mother rolled her eyes. "Silly me, forgetting. Come on, dear. Something of Rose's will fit you."

Less than ten minutes later, Cornflower was back outside and smiling in her soft blue pinafore.

"Lovely," Laterose said simply, holding out a paw. Taking it like an old friend, Cornflower let Laterose lead her through the cheerful valley of Noonvale.

They walked through the centre of the village, stopping for a while to talk beside the main water fountain. Laterose began to tell the story of how she'd died.

"If I'm honest," She concluded, "I don't really remember it. But I do remember – Oh speak of the devils!"

The sounds of shouting and fighting echoed around the corner of the building behind them. Both mice turned around to see clouds of dust and sand.

Muffled voices and laughter emerged from the clouds, closely followed by a mass of filthy fur and tails.

"Stop that you two, we've got a feast tonight!" Laterose laughed, paws on hips. Cornflower watched, dumbfounded.

"S'nuff… time… yet! Hah!" The heap of fur separated into two shapes which resembled mice. The leaner shape wearing blue rubbed dirt from its blinking eyes and looked directly at Laterose.

"And who is your friend?" He stood and flicked a last pawful of dirt at the second shape, striding to the micemaids with a winning smile on his face. Laterose faltered beside her and Cornflower thought she detected a history there.

"Cornflower, sir." She said, offering her paw. Winking at Laterose, the blue-clad mouse took Cornflower's paw and bowed.

"Pleasure to meet you, Cornflower."

"Cornflower?" The second mouse was suddenly right beside the first, blinking away dust.

It took barely a moment.

"Matthias!" Cornflower flung herself at her warrior, grinning through tears. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. But we're both here now. How… How was Mattie?"

The two pulled apart to look at each other for the first time in seasons. Through more tears, Cornflower answered.

"He was fine. Baby Martin has grown so big."

"Martin, eh?" The first mouse asked, smirking.

"Named after you, of course." Matthias rolled his eyes playfully.

"Big headed old toad." Laterose muttered, sliding her paw carefully into his. Cornflower finally realised.

"Old toad!" Martin repeated, mock horror showing on his face. "Milady, I'll have you know I met many old toads in my time and none of them were as handsome as this fine beast." He gestured widely to himself, winking at Cornflower.

"Sure you haven't got that the wrong way around in your old age?" Matthias muttered.

Instantly, Martin shoved Matthias and tripped him. The two began rolling around in the dirt, shoving handfuls of sand down each other's tunics.

Laterose shook her head fondly, offering her paw to Cornflower once more. "Warriors, eh?"


End file.
